2016 Gandona Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is every bit as impressive from bottle as it was from barrel. Bright, floral and nuanced, with all of the depth these wines have always shown, the 2016 packs a serious punch. Raspberry jam and floral notes, along with bright acids, carry the 2016 effortlessly. The energy and tension in 2016 are palpable and also a departure from the past, when the wines at times were quite heavy. The 2016 is easily the best wine I have tasted from Gandona. I can't wait to see how it ages.

One-hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon from the Gandona Estate up on Pritchard Hill, aged for 20 months in 73% new French oak, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is very deep garnet-purple colored with an intense nose of crème de cassis, blueberry pie and chocolate-covered cherries with wafts of red roses, star anise, cloves, cigar box and tilled loam. The palate is medium to full-bodied with exciting vivacity and energy charging the core of black fruits, framed by ripe, grainy tannins and finishing long and mineral laced. 560 cases produced.

Graphite, savory herbs, menthol, crushed rocks, wild cherry and crème de cassis run through Gandona's 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon. A big, plush wine, the 2016 also has more than enough structure to play off the flamboyant fruit. A host of mineral and savory-inflected overtones add layers of intrigue to this bold, explosive Pritchard Hill Cabernet. I especially like the sense of energy and vibrancy here.